Peugeot 308 GT revealed

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Peugeot has revealed its new hot hatch. The 308 GT THP 200 gets the cracking 197bhp 1.6-litre turbo engine from its svelte RCZ sibling. That immediately gives it an advantage of more than 40bhp over the previous top-rung 308. The French firm’s iconic GTI tag is conspicuous by its absence, with Peugeot (perhaps sensibly) marketing this car as warm rather than properly hot – it has Clio 200 horsepower in a car the size of a Megane. But that shouldn’t stop it being a cut-price VW Golf GTI alternative - the 308 GT boasts a practical five-door body, low CO2 emissions (159g/km equals £155 a year tax) and plenty of kit, while the engine and six-speed manual transmission from the RCZ should help provide a thoroughly pleasant drive. The 1.6 turbo provides 202lb ft of torque, with a 7.7sec 0-62mph time and a 140mph top speed. Sales start this month with a £21,995 price tag – £3K cheaper than a similarly equipped RCZ coupe and, more importantly, the same margin less than a five-door Golf GTI.